Powerball produces 4 Broward millionaires in one day, all from Publixes

Four millionaires in one night, in one county, from one grocery chain.

It happened Wednesday night in Broward County, when four Powerball players each won at least $1 million. Each matched five of five white balls, but missed on the red Powerball.

The winning tickets were all sold at Publix stores: 170 S. Flamingo Road, Pembroke Pines; 2465 Glades Circle, Weston; 8160 Wiles Road, Coral Springs; 225 S. Flamingo Road, Plantation. One player doubled his winnings to $2 million by purchasing a Power Play ticket.

“I can’t recall seeing anything as statistically improbable as having four millionaires generated from the same chain, in the same county, on the same night,” said Tom Dolan, who has worked for the lottery since 1988, and manages the Miami District. Publix is the state’s largest lottery vendor, and Broward is No. 2 in the state for Powerball sales, he notes.

“In spite of those facts, it is truly amazing that the stars aligned for these four Broward County players,” he said. "We are ecstatic not only for our Broward winners, but also for the students of Florida who benefitted from the $31.73 million that was transferred to the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund from the series of rollovers leading to this $240 million jackpot."

Publix doesn't comment on the lottery.

No other Floridian hit five of five Wednesday night, but one Cedar Rapids, Iowa, player also matched the Powerball – for a $241 million win (The numbers were 7-10-14-33-57, with a Powerball of 18). The odds of hitting five of five numbers but no Powerball is one in 5.1 million; the odds for hitting Powerball too makes it one in 175 million.

See how each store has fared – as well as your lottery venue – at Sun-Sentinel.com/LotteryData.